Hello Again, Good to See You
by Jickxy
Summary: This is a Tokyo Mew Mew story five years later in the future. After the Mew cafe closed everyone went their separate ways. After all the time that's past how much have their lives changed? An IchigoXRyou fanfic.
1. Raindrops

Please review! This is my first fanfic that I've published so all of your feedback would be great. I hope you enjoy!

I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew and I never I will. How sad…

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The blond man stepped out into the rain from his black car and shivered from the cold downpour. He looked up and down the street for the familiar name he was told to meet at.

Memories flooded into his head as he walked down the muddy streets of downtown Tokyo once again. After all these years he thought he would have forgotten but he guessed those times were tucked away in his heart. It never really occurred to him that he was a sentimental guy but some things you never forget. He looked up and couldn't fight the smile when he saw the giant, pink café before him. Even on that cold, drizzly day the café shinned in pink brighter than ever. The blond man shivered again in his long raincoat and hurried inside.

He cracked open the front door and peered inside. The room smelled of dust and all the chairs were stacked on the tables. It was dark except for a light that came from the kitchen. The tall blond shuffled to the back while sliding his raincoat off.

"Ryou, is that you?" called a familiar voice.

Ryou threw his coat on one of the tables and headed through the swinging door of the kitchen.

"Who else?" Ryou said with a faint smile looking at his old friend.

Keiichiro put down his oven mitt and turned to meet him.

"Long time, no see." Keiichiro said with a smile.

He grabbed two coffee mugs of the shelf and placed them on the table. Ryou sat down while Keiichiro poured coffee into both of them.

"Ryou, you've grown since the last I've seen you. How long has it been?" Keiichiro said while sitting down at the table.

"Five years, old man." Ryou said with a smile.

"Just because I'm older than twenty-five now doesn't make me old."

It was true Keiichiro hadn't changed at all. He still wore his long, brown hair back in a pony-tail but today he was wearing a blue sweater and jeans instead of what he used to wear.

"So have you seen anyone from the old days?" Keiichiro asked while sipping on his coffee.

"Not once. It's like after we closed everyone went their separate ways and then they were gone never to call again."

Ryou looked down at the white kitchen tile. The floor had a layer of dust over it just like everything else making the café look so old. Everything had faded just like the times that were spent here.

"So you never sold this place?"

"I couldn't stand to see it taken down." Keiichiro paused and looked around the room. "This place hasn't seen the light of day since we closed it. It makes me sad to see it this way." He said while stirring in some sugar to his coffee. "So how do you think those girls are doing?"

"Who knows?" Ryou said in an uninterested voice.

"Hmm…" Ryou looked up at Keiichiro who was smiling up at the ceiling.

"What?"

"Hahaha! I have an idea!" He laughed.


	2. Come Home, Kitten

"Ichigo, you got a letter from your parents in Japan." Ichigo's room-mate, Gracie, called up to her.

Ichigo rolled out of bed forgetting she was on the top bunk again but lightly landing on her toes.

"I still don't see how you do that." Gracie said while handing Ichigo the letter.

"I think I was part cat in another life." Ichigo laughed sarcastically.

Ichigo smiled as she read the return address. It made her think of home in Tokyo and that made her think of her grade school days, something she couldn't ever talk about to anyone around her. Her little secret always made her smile but she didn't think about it much anymore.

"What are you beaming about?" Gracie asked in her usual bored voice.

Ichigo let her smile fall a little bit and said, "Just thinking about home."

Gracie turned and sat down at her computer while Ichigo ripped open the envelope. She automatically recognized her mother's Japanese handwriting that read:

**Our dear Ichigo,**

**We hope your studies in America have been well and that your Japanese is still understandable. Your father and I miss you and wish you have a great time over there. But even though we want you to continue your education there we would like you to come visit us. We put a plane ticket in the envelope so the date is already set. It's too late to say no this time so no excuses.**

**We love you and will see you soon,**

**Mom and Dad**

**P.S. Remember we haven't seen you since Christmas two years ago.**

Ichigo looked inside the envelope and sure enough there was the plane ticket. She gave a sigh and placed the letter on her desk with the ticket.

"Weren't you happy ten seconds ago?" Gracie asked while typing on the computer.

"I was until I realized I'm going to visit home now."

Ichigo put her hand to her head trying to figure out how she was going to get out of this.

"I thought home made you happy. Or is it something else."

Gracie knew the reason Ichigo escaped to America and she knew the reason every visit back to Japan was a risk.

"You know the answer to that, Gracie." Ichigo said while sitting on the bed.

Gracie had become the closest friend to Ichigo since Japan from the beginning of her tenth grade year when her English was still bad. Even now in college they were together. Gracie knew almost everything about her except for the pink café and all that happened there.

Gracie turned to look at Ichigo. "It's your decision whether you go back or not but think about your parents for a second."

Ichigo crossed her arms and looked down at the floor.

"I know I have to go back. I guess it will be okay. It's been a long time since I embarrassed myself and it's childish to act this way. I owe it to my parents."

Gracie gave a smirk while she took her shoulder length, black hair back into a short pony-tail.

"And I might even see some people I haven't seen for a long time." Ichigo added now smiling again.


	3. Cars and No Sleep

**Sorry if this one seems pretty boring. It's not that long so hopefully you can make it with out falling out of your chair. Thank you for your feedback so far! It helps a lot! :D**

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"Ma'am? You can move up now."

Ichigo snapped her head up and rubbed her eyes while stepping up to the desk. "I'm sorry." Ichigo said with a yawn. She reached down into her bag and brought out her wallet with her credit card.

The short man at the desk smiled at her as he took the credit card Ichigo handed to him. "Jet lag?" He asked with the same grin.

"Yeah, flew in from America and couldn't sleep on the plane." Ichigo said slurring her words together. She crossed her arms to keep herself from falling over and closed her eyes again.

"Haha, I hate that feeling. I can't sleep on planes either… What was your name?"

"Momomiya Ichigo." Ichigo said with her eyes still closed.

The man turned to the computer and entered her name. "Alright, let's see here." He paused a second and than clicked his tongue. "Okay, so you have the 2007 Nissan Sentra, is that right?"

"That's it." Ichigo mumbled.

"Great. Then here are the papers for it with our number if you have any problems. And here is the key. Now, when you come back for your flight next week just park the car in the rental parking area and come back here at the desk for check in." The man looked up at Ichigo who was holding her chin up in one hand for support. "Miss?" He tapped her on the shoulder.

Ichigo eyes flew open. "Oh, yes, thank you." Ichigo took the key and papers and moved out of line. When Ichigo got outside the morning was still dark and grey. The air felt cool and misty which made her just a little bit more alert.

Almost the entire parking garage was full with cars. For Every type of car there was a section and each section was divided with a sign that hung from the ceiling. Ichigo walked down the isle reading each sign as she went. _Where is it?_ Ichigo thought impatiently. She looked at the paper the man had given her and scanned it for what she was looking for. Finally she found where the car was located and groaned. At the top floor. She made her way to the elevator and pushed the up button. Nothing happened. She pushed it again and then again but still nothing. She stepped back from it and there was a big piece of paper on the elevator door that read: **Out of Order**. Ichigo was so tired now she barely paid it any mind.

She dragged her suitcase up the stairs floor after another until she reached the top. The blank open sky was turning a light blue color as the sun started to rise. Ichigo paused and starred at the scene in front of her. There were only three cars up here out of all the ones down there. Ichigo's mouth twitched and then she burst out laughing. She really needed sleep.

The irony was too much. First, she found out her car was on the top level and then when she tried to go up the elevator was broken and when she finally got up the steps, out of all the cars hers was one of the three at the top. She didn't want to come to Japan in the first place and it looked like Japan didn't want her there either. She thought to herself _it must be a sign. _

Ichigo got in the drivers seat but than realized she was in the passengers' side forgetting how it was over here. She crawled to the other side and threw her stuff in the back not caring if something broke.

The Sentra was a nice little car with the perfect amount of space for one person. And the seats were so soft and cozy. She let her arms fall by her sides and her right hand accidently brushed over something. _THE SEATS RECLINE!_ She screamed inside her head. She gently pulled on the handle and pushed back on the seat easily going down. The last thing she remembered was the time on the clock; 5:37.

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_Bzzzzzzzzzz, bzzzzzzzzz! _Ichigo sat upright still half asleep and pulled out her phone from her purse. She looked at the number that blinked across the front and glanced at the clock; 8:23.

"Hey, Mom."

"Where are you? Your plane was supposed to get in at 5:00!" Ichigo's mother's voice was frantic as she spoke.

"I know, I kinda fell asleep in the car before I left." Ichigo took a quick look in the rearview mirror. Her bright red hair was all out of sorts.

"Well, are you still tired?"

"Not so much now. I'll be home soon so don't worry."

"Okay, see you in a bit." Ichigo closed her phone and put it back in her purse. She started the car and headed for the exit of the parking garage.

She remembered the roads so well even though back then she couldn't drive. She was getting close to her house when she saw the pink café. She could have turned at the next corner and gotten home another way but she thought it would be okay to drive by it. As she passed it she slowed down. It looked the same although it wasn't well maintained. She figured no one had been inside for a very long time. She couldn't help but wonder how everyone was doing. They were probably mad at her for leaving with out a word so randomly. Or at least it would seem random to them. She started to think about the day before she decided she would leave. How horrible it was. The look on his face…

Ichigo shook her head trying to clear away the unwanted thoughts. It was such a long time ago. Why should it matter now? Before she knew it she was pulling into her parents' driveway. Her heart jumped. She was finally home. She never thought she would come back or so she told herself that when she first left. Everything was coming back from the life she had left here. It all seemed like yesterday when she still lived here.

Her parents came running out of the house to greet her with huge smiles on their faces. Ichigo opened the car door and ran into her parents arms without closing it.

"You are finally home! We were wondering when you would come back." Ichigo's mom said still hugging her.

"You kinda forced me." Ichigo mumbled under her breath.

"We were beginning to think you didn't like us anymore." Ichigo's dad patted her on the shoulder.

"Well, come into the house." Ichigo's mom put an arm around her shoulders and turned her toward the house.

"Oh, my bags."

"Don't worry. Hey honey? Will you get Ichigo's bags and bring them up to her room?"

Her dad frowned and said, "Sure, why not," and went to the car.

Ichigo and her mom laughed and went inside. The house was different than she remembered and noticed that they had rearranged furniture. Ichigo's mom sat her down in the living room and brought her a drink.

"My gosh, you have gotten so much older. You don't look like a girl anymore and you are as tall as me." She eyed Ichigo up and down.

Ichigo faintly blushed at the remark. "The last time you saw me was when I was 16, when you came to visit me, Mom. It's been two years. Of course I've grown."

"Yeah… but now… you look like a woman." Ichigo's blushed deepened. "And I love how you're wearing your hair now. It makes you look older, too." Ichigo ran her fingers through her long, layered hair.

"You've gotten older, yourself. I see you've got a few grey hairs." Ichigo smiled her playful cat smile and drank some of the drink her mom gave her. When the liquid hit her tongue there was an old twang to it. "Does this have alcohol in it?" Ichigo starred at the yellow concoction in her hand with a puzzled look.

"Your dad and I have been playing with mixed drinks recently. And you're old enough to have some. I'm sure you're drinking plenty of it at school anyway." Ichigo's mom said sheepishly.

"Um, sure." Ichigo lied. "Mom, I want clean up and unpack and maybe get some more sleep if you don't mind." Ichigo started to get up but she lost her balance and fell back down.

"Yeah that's fine." Her mom laughed. "Can't hold your liquors well, can you."

Ichigo reddened and got back up again and slowly went up the stairs. She opened the door to her room and went inside. Five years it had been since she'd been in her room. It still smelled the same way and it looked like her mother cleaned it often. She slowly walked around her room looking at each photograph, each stuffed animal, and everything else. She came to a picture of her and Aoyama together. She was in such a hurry to leave she forgot to get rid of it. On the shelf she saw her golden, mew pendant. A rush of memories clouded her head. And then beside that was the bell Aoyama had given her… but how did that get there? She remembered distinctly ripping it of her neck and throwing it out the window while she was packing and sobbing, choking back tears.

Ichigo again had to push the thoughts away. All that time in America she worked so hard to recover and live a new life by locking that past in a small box in the back of her mind. Coming here brought the box forward and everything was starting to slip out after all her hard work. No matter what she would stop that from happening.

Ichigo sighed and started to unpack. She would only be here for a week so she decided she wouldn't put her clothes in the drawers. After unpacking everything she needed she left for the bathroom to take a shower and after that she crashed on her bed falling into another deep sleep.

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**It wasn't too bad, right?**


End file.
